


Take a Break.

by Twinklylights



Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Domestic Ian Gallagher/Mickey Milkovich, Family, Fluff, M/M, Mickey gets his GED, Post Season/Series 10, Post-Canon, Self Esteem, and a nice talk with a certain little sister
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-09
Updated: 2020-11-09
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:21:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,945
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27463354
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Twinklylights/pseuds/Twinklylights
Summary: "I think if you want to get your GED, you should, and If you don’t want to, you don’t have to. Mick, you don’t have to prove yourself to me.”or Mickey's getting off parole soon and doesn't know what that means for his future. He decides getting his GED is a step he's ready to take, with Ian by his side.
Relationships: Ian Gallagher & Mickey Milkovich, Ian Gallagher/Mickey Milkovich
Comments: 30
Kudos: 213





	Take a Break.

**Author's Note:**

> The 26th track of the Hamilton soundtrack is titled "Take a break". Do with that what you will ;)  
> This fic is just long winded way of me saying I'm proud of Mickey and think he deserves the world.  
> Feel free to let me know what you think!  
> Hope you're all staying safe and celebrating our win/his loss ;) xoxoxo

__

_ Take a Break.  _

_“...And our last meeting will be November 23rd. You’ll officially be off parole”_

Larry’s words echo in Mickey’s head his entire walk home. Three months and he’ll be off of parole. He’ll be completely _free_. The feeling is all around surreal. The past two years have been more life changing than he could have ever imagined. He’s got a husband to come home to everyday, a job that pays enough for him to finally be stable and a family that he can actually depend on. He feels a sense of relief that he’s made it this far. Despite all the odds stacked against him and all the times, he’s felt like giving up and just running away from it all, he’s made it. He’s made it to the point where the idea of a future with Ian isn't a pipe dream, it's his reality. The idea of being free and able to do what he wants with his life, on his own terms isn’t a fantasy, it's a reality that’s coming faster than he had anticipated. Faster than he could have ever planned for. 

+

It’s around 3pm when Mickey gets home. It’s a Wednesday, so Ian’s home until he has to leave for work at 8. Mickey comes into the living room with a smile on his face as he approaches Ian who's laid out on the couch flipping through the new novel he’s been obsessed with. Mickey can see that Ian’s pretty lost in the book, having made no acknowledgement of Mickey’s entrance into the house. 

“Hey, I’m home,” he says. “Got some good news.” Mickey’s tone is even so Ian just quirks his eyebrow, setting his book on the coffee table and motions for Mickey to come join him on the couch. 

“Good news huh?” he smiles as Mickey climbs over the back of the couch to straddle his waist, leaning down to press a kiss to his lips.

“Yup. Gonna have to guess tho’.” 

Ian makes a face as if he’s thinking hard. 

“Found a stray puppy on your way home and just couldn’t resist bringing it back with you?” Mickey laughs at that. Ian’s been begging for them to get a dog for months now. It’s still not happening. 

“Nope. Try again.”

Ian rolls his eyes as he laughs.

“Found out Hank closed the restaurant for good and I don’t have to go in tonight?”

Ian’s been waiting tables at an Italian place for a few months now and even though the tips are great he still comes home after every shift with a complaint about a customer or two. He’s steadily looking into finding a new job, but Mick’s been insisting that he wait it out for a while. Insisting that they not change too many things at once. 

“You’re pretty bad at this man. It’s good news _for me_.” As much as he tries to hide it, he smiles as he says it. This _is_ good news. It’s good that he’s gonna be off parole. If him and Ian decide they want to take Liam and run away to fucking Arizona they can do that. Mickey knows they’ve both got jobs and responsibilities in Chicago and he doesn’t miss the heat all that much but if they wanted to, they could. If they want to smoke joints while sitting out on the porch, they can. No one’s going to be looking over their shoulders and testing their piss to make sure it's clean. No one’s going to be telling them what to do. They’re on their own. 

“Well you should have said. You know that's my favorite kind of news.” Mickey’s blushing now so Ian just waits for him to spit it out. Brings his hand up to run his thumb across Mickey’s hip bone under his red t-shirt.

“Larry told me my last day of parole. November 23rd. Finally going to be done with it.”

The smile that spreads across Ian’s face is wide, he’s practically beaming. It's a smile that Mickey still is getting used to having in his life full time. He spent a lot of time missing that smile, missing Ian. Once they finally reunited in prison, he was thankful to be seeing it again, but it didn't last long as he as had hoped. Between that and the chaos that came after the courthouse, he’s learned to appreciate and soak in each and every smile that Ian’s willing to throw his way. 

“Mick! That’s fucking great news!”, Ian exclaims. He pulls Mickey down into a quick kiss but quickly pulls back when he can feel that Mickey’s enthusiasm isn't matching his. 

“What’s wrong?” Mickey sighs. He moves off of Ian and positions himself, so they’re shoulder to shoulder.

“Nothing. Just worried.”

He doesn't say anything more than that, and he doesn’t even say what he’s worried about, but Ian knows. He knows Mickey’s mind is racing with the endless possibilities of things that could go wrong and the endless amount of decisions he has to make. They haven't talked about the end of his parole much. Every time Ian tries to bring it up, Mickey is quick to change the subject and say it’s something he doesn’t want to think about. But now they have a date to mark on the calendar and it’s finally _real_. Ian knows deep down Mickey’s excited, he's ready to be free in all areas of his life, but he’s also got 25 years of experience keeping him from getting his hopes up about the whole ordeal. Ian’s sat back long enough and seen life throw Mickey far too many misfortunes, he’s not going to let life after parole be another. 

They’re sitting close so Ian can easily grab Mickey's right hand and place it in his. He gives it a little squeeze and looks into Mickey’s eyes.

“You know one of my favorite things about you Mick? Your optimism. You’ve got fucking faith Mick. No matter how much you try to hide it. You’ve always had faith in us and in me. There’s nothing wrong with saving a little for yourself. It’s all going to work out, even if it doesn’t feel like it yet.”

Ian’s words hit harder than Mickey had expected and cause a warmth to fill Mickey’s chest. He wants to say “ _Of course I always had faith in us. You’re the best fucking thing to ever happen to me., I’m not letting you get away again.”,_ but he can’t seem to find the words because he feels so fucking _seen_. He flashes Ian a shy smile that only grows into more of grin when he realizes Ian is smiling too.

“I’m excited for you Mick. I’m going to be here every step of the way.” Mickey’s apprehension is quickly replaced with relief. Things are scary and he’s feeling too many feelings at once to ever be able to verbalize them all. But even with all that, he knows he’s got Ian who’s promised to be by his side forever.

+

Summer’s in full swing in the Gallagher house. It’s the first summer in years that the AC has been working for more than a few days at a time. Everyone’s grateful for the relief from the Chicago heat but now there’s a leak under the kitchen sink. It started off being what everyone thought was Carl missing the sink with his discarded ice cubes, but now Mickey’s standing in front of the sink and his socks are completely soaked. 

“Ian!” he calls out toward the stairs. He gives his husband about five seconds to respond before repeating his name again, annoyed that he’s not already magically ascended down the stairs to observe their newfound DIY project. 

Ian comes into the kitchen, with a confused look across his face. Mickey was in a good mood when they woke up. They’d spent about 20 minutes cocooned under the sheets lazily kissing. When Mickey left the room, he said he would be right back with coffee. Ian’s not sure what went wrong after that.

When he comes into the kitchen, he gets a clearer picture.

“Oh shit! Mick!” Ian scrambles to grab the two dish towels hanging from the stove and does his best to clean up some of the water. 

“Mick we’ve got to call somebody! This is fucking crazy!” 

Mickey rolls his eyes. This house has seen far worse than a leaking pipe, this is nothing he can’t fix. He hadn’t planned on spending the day with his head under the sink but as the years have gone on, he’s learned that surprises are pretty much a guarantee, good or bad. 

“Can you hand me my phone? Gonna text Lip and see if he left any tools here before he fucked off to who knows where.”

Ian grabs his phone and hands it to him seemingly unfazed. It takes a few moments before he even registers what Mickey has said. 

“You’re texting Lip? That’s weird. I didn’t know you had his number.” Ian can’t think of anything that they would ever need to talk about. Lip, Tami, and Fred moved out almost a year ago and Ian only ever hears from Lip when he needs relationship advice. Mickey and Lip talking for the hell of it sounds way too good to be true.

“Why wouldn’t I have his number? He’s my brother.” 

Ian smirks as Mickey types the message to Lip. It’s moments like this that it truly sinks in that they're married now. They’re a unit. It’s always Ian and Mickey. Mickey and Ian. Even though Mickey isn't officially a Gallagher on paper, _he is_ and they both know it. Mickey’s got a little brother who he helps with math homework after school. He’s got a niece who insists on facetiming him when Mickey Mouse is on the tv at her mom’s place. He’s got another brother who won’t stop asking him about prison connections. Always asking if Mickey knows any good guards on the inside who might be looking to show someone the ropes. _He doesn't._ And now he’s got a brother who he can text and ask about tools to fix the house that he's sharing with his husband. 

Sometimes Ian wonders what he’s got to offer Mickey. What has Mickey been seeing in him that has kept him around for a little over 10 years? Ian can’t give him lavish vacations and expensive jewelry. He can’t erase the past and all the mistakes he made throughout their relationship. But it's times like this where Ian’s sure of one thing. He’s giving Mickey a family. He’s got people now and no matter how much he might complain about the Gallaghers, Ian knows he loves being their missing piece. 

“No “in law” after that? Be careful, people might start to think you actually like us.” Ian says faking shock.

Mickey scoffs but doesn’t refute Ian’s claim, he finds no use in debating the obvious. 

+

Around 12:45 Mickey’s under the sink a wrench in his right hand and his phone in his left. He wouldn’t consider himself a fucking property brother or anything, but he’s done his fair share of fixing things. The Milkovich house always had something wrong with it and Terry was never the fixer upper kind of guy so Mickey was always the one making sure the smoke detectors had batteries and walls weren’t _all_ sporting gaping holes.

A few YouTube videos showed him what to do and he got straight to work. It didn’t seem like something too hard to fix so he told Ian he didn't have to help and he didn’t need to call a professional who was only going to scam them out of a couple hundred dollars and do exactly what Mickey could do for free. 

Ian sits at the table and observes. Mickey’s quiet while he works, muttering out the occasional _“fuck”_ but overall concentrated. Ian’s pretty sure Mickey’s forgotten that he’s even in the room and until and Mickey calls out. 

“Yo! Get over here and hold the flashlight, my arms getting fucking tired.” 

To say they’re close is an understatement. Mickey was already working up a sweat but now that Ian’s jammed right next to him things are feeling a little tight. It doesn't help that Ian is staring directly at him. He doesn't have to turn around to know it, he can _feel_ Ian’s eyes on him. He’s been far too quiet for there to be any other explanation. He puts his tool down, turns around and catches Ian in the act.

“What the fuck are you staring at me for?” Ian blushes. 

“No reason. Keep working.” He bats his eyelashes for good measure and Mickey doesn’t say anything else. It’s about 3 seconds later when Ian speaks again.

“Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?”

Mickey sets his tools down, rolls over so that he’s facing Ian.

“What the fuck are you talking about?”

“You. Mick. You’re absolutely beautiful. You’re like out of a movie or some shit. And you’re all mine.” 

He brings his hand up to rest against Mickey’s cheek and smiles. Mickey’s freckles are extra noticeable this time of year and this close its mesmerizing.

“A movie huh? What kind of movie?

“A hot one. A really hot one Mick.” Ian closes the space between them and presses their lips together into a kiss. It’s soft at first but quickly turns into more. Mickey moves to sit up and Ian groans in annoyance until he realizes that Mickey’s pulling him into his lap. His hands are resting right at the small of Ian’s back and Ian can feel the press of Mickey’s rings against his skin which only gets him more eager. They’re both lost in the moment without even remembering they’re on the kitchen floor until they hear Carl enter the house.

“What the fuck!” Carl shrieks as he comes into the kitchen.

Ian and Mickey both scramble to stand up, straightening out their clothes. Mickey moves to stand behind Ian, hoping to hide the growing situation pressing against his zipper. Neither of the boys recognize the girl next to Carl as she gives them an up and down look, her lips turned up in disgust.

“Why are you home? You said you were busy all day,” Ian asks.

“Not anymore. Trey sent me home” He looks bummed about the fact and Ian makes a mental note to ask about it later.

“Me and Lizzie are going up upstairs. Maybe you two could try it sometime and stop fucking in the kitchen.” He grabs her hand and pulls her towards the stairs. 

“Won’t happen again!” Ian says in a mock serious tone. He gives the back of Carl’s head a salute for emphasis. He’s trying to keep his composure because he can hear Mickey in his ear trying and failing at containing his laughter. Once they both hear the slam of Carl’s door upstairs, they lose it. 

“You know that’s definitely happening again right?” Mickey says.

“Absolutely.”

+

That night, Ian’s lying in bed just starting chapter 12 of the book he’s been reading. There’s nothing he misses about prison, but he does often think of all the time he had to read. What was one a daily routine is now a pleasure he gets a couple times a week if he’s lucky. Mickey being in the shower and Liam being in bed is the perfect excuse.

It's almost 11pm when Ian hears the sound of the shower turning off. He promised Mickey a back massage after the whole kitchen sink disaster so he dogears page 228 and puts the book onto his bedside table, grabbing the bottle of massage oil he picked up a few weeks ago. 

Mickey comes into the room; blue striped towel wrapped around his waist and closes the accordion door and heads straight to the dresser. He quickly pulls on a pair of boxers and turns around to face Ian who’s sat up in bed, staring at him.

“Did I grow a second head? You’ve been staring at me all day Gallagher”, Mickey says. He laughs and then unceremoniously flops on the bed face down right beside Ian. Ian takes the hint and moves to straddle across his back, squirts some of the oil into his palms and gets to work on Mickey’s shoulder blades. 

“Can you blame me though? Can’t believe you’re my fucking husband.” He’s smiling as he says it and he knows Mickey is too. 

“Well you better start believing it. Facts not changing anytime soon.” He doesn’t give Ian shit for still being in awe of the fact. Sometimes he still pinches himself to make sure this all isn’t a long heartfelt dream his mind has conjured up. 

“Hot and you know how to fix stuff around the house? I lucked out.” Ian is still massaging and smiles when he hears Mickey let out a blissful sigh. 

“Nah man, that’s nothing. Least I can do.” Ian pauses.

“What do you mean it’s the “‘least you can do?” You do plenty for me. For us.”

Mickey shifts uncomfortably underneath him, but Ian keeps his hands firm against his shoulder blades, his thumbs moving in small counterclockwise formations. 

“I mean nobodies asking me to be the fucking CEO of anything, can’t be your big shot breadwinner, least I can do is fix a sink pipe when it’s broken.” He lifts his left arm and flails his hand dismissively. 

Ian’s quiet. Mickey’s gotten good with his subtle exclamations of self-doubt. Sometimes Ian barely catches them but sometimes they stick out like a sore thumb and Ian has to take a second to _breathe_ and absorb the fact that the man he loves can think so negatively of himself without so much as a second thought. 

All thoughts of giving a massage are put on hold and Ian taps Mickey’s shoulder. 

“Turn around. Look at me” He says sternly. Mickey groans at what he knows is about to be a long talk, but he obliges, and they shift positions so that Ian’s straddling him, this time face to face. 

“You know what I think? I think just because you aren’t drowning in CEO offers right now doesn’t mean you couldn’t be. Who’s to say you can’t be the boss, huh? Mick, you gotta start believing in yourself.” He lets his thumb rest against Mickey’s cheek as he speaks, his finger’s gently tapping along the back of Mickey’s neck. 

Mickey thinks over Ian’s words. They take turns needing a self-esteem boost from each other. Mickey’s always willing to tell Ian that he thinks the world of him and how proud he is of how far he’s come but he’s still working on being on the receiving end of the pep talk. 

“You think people are going to want Terry Milkovich’s kid running companies? Let’s be realistic Ian.”

“Well for one, you are far more than “Terry Milkovich’s kid.” You’re fucking smart Mick. You’re basically the most selfless guy I know. You’re funny. You’re strong. You’ve worked through so much shit on your own, sometimes I can’t even _fathom_ how you get out of bed in the morning. I think you’re amazing and I think it’s time you start seeing it and you let everyone else see it too. You’re a light, Mick.” 

Ian can see the emotion in Mickey’s eyes, so he doesn’t harp on the matter any further and leans down to press a kiss against Mickey cheek.

“I love you so much and the rest of the world will too, you just gotta let them.”

He takes the opportunity to lean over Mickey and turn out the bedside lamp. Once the room is completely dark, they make themselves comfortable under the covers and Ian snuggles up to Mickey’s chest, his head resting in the crook of his neck. 

Mickey’s quiet and Ian knows his words are still echoing in his head. He meant every one of them so if Mickey needs a few minutes to process, he doesn’t mind giving him as much time as he needs for the words to truly stick.

He thinks his husband has fallen asleep until Mickey takes a breath and clears his throat and speaks, his voice almost a whisper.

“You still going to love me even if the world doesn’t? Even if I’m just fixing sinks forever?” his voice is small, and Ian has to _breathe_ before he answers. 

“Mickey. It’s for better or worse. I’m going to love you no matter what. There’s nothing in the world you can do or say that would make me not love you. Nothing” 

He squeezes Mickey tight and nuzzles impossibly closer. He’ll say it as many times as it takes for Mickey to get it. As many times as it takes for Mickey to _feel it._

_+_

Fridays in the summer are a circus. Mickey works the morning shift at Old Army so that he’s off by 1pm and Ian can take the car and get to therapy by 2:30. Liam’s got his math prep class at 4 and he’s adamant that he can’t ever miss a week or he’ll suddenly fall behind but he’s already ahead of everyone else in his grade because he’s taking the class so Mickey doesn’t really get all of the fuss.

Mickey doesn’t see why Liam would agree to spend his summer Fridays hanging out with nerds and doing math equations, but he admires the kid for finding something and sticking to it. When he was Liam’s age there wasn’t a lot of time to think about the future and getting ahead, but Mickey’s not Liam’s age anymore and now it’s almost all he can think about.

Ever since Larry broke the news, he’s been feeling lost. There was no handbook on how to be the model parolee, but he had Ian beside him going through the same thing. And sure, Ian’s off parole now and he’s adjusted well to simply _being,_ but Mickey knows it’s not going to be that easy for him. Ian always had big dreams of a bright future. A white picket fence and dogs on leashes were always somewhere in his hopes and even though he’s not exactly where he wants to be, he’s working on it.

Mickey’s not sure where he wants to be. He’s married to Ian and Terry’s dead so that checks off two of his biggest boxes but that not’s everything. He’s got so much shit to figure out about himself he can’t concentrate; Liam has to tap his shoulder three times just to get him out of his trance.

“Did you hear me? I need help with number 4. It’s the last one” Liam says.

His voice startles Mickey for a second but he quickly turns his attention to the textbook and explains the solution to Liam.

“How are you so good at these? I think you just explained it better than Mrs. Chambers did all year.” He quickly finishes the problem and stuffs his folder and into his backpack.

“Math shits easy kid. You just gotta see it in your head.” He waves his hand dismissively and reaches for the pack of cigarettes on the table across from him and lights one.

“You ever thought about being a teacher?” Liam asks. Ever since Lip moved out, he’s gotten a lot closer to Mickey. When Mickey first moved in after prison, he was cautious around him. Lip and Fiona seemed to always have something negative to say about the guy, but Liam quickly realized Mickey wasn’t all bad. Now he feels like Mickey is the older brother he was missing. He’s more attentive than Ian and Lip combined. Liam’s never a second thought to Mickey when family decisions are being made, he never feels like he has to remind mickey that he’s there.

“I look like a fuckin’ teacher to you?” Liam blinks.

“What? Mrs. Chambers has tattoos and I think Mr. Jean too.”

Mickey rolls his eyes. Liam’s using his serious voice, so he knows the kids not fucking with him but the fact that Liam doesn’t find anything weird with Mickey being a teacher leaves him feeling puzzled.

“I can’t be a teacher kid. Don’t you need a degree or some shit?”

“I don’t think Mrs. Chamber’s even has a high school diploma. Last week she tried to tell us that the earth was flat. You’re already one step ahead of her”

Mickey gives Liam a questioning look but doesn’t try to argue. He’s not that far ahead of Mrs. Chamber’s. He _definitely_ doesn’t have his high school diploma. He barely finished freshman year and after that he didn’t find much point in going. When he went to prison the first time a lady with stringy hair and excessive nail-biting habit had mentioned something about a GED program, but his mind was elsewhere, and he rudely dismissed her. Thinking on it now, he realizes maybe he should have paid more attention. That sure would make it easier to find a job. He doesn’t see Old Army being his lifelong career and his options are already limited because of the whole felon thing.

“You gonna be alright until Ian comes home? I gotta go upstairs.” Liam nods.

“Yeah, Gonna make a sandwich and watch tv. Thanks for the help”

“Anytime, kid.” He says heading up the stairs.

+

Once he’s upstairs he pulls out his and Ian’s shared laptop and opens a browser. He types “GED Programs” into the search bar and he’s flooded with thousands of links. He clicks through a few and grimaces at the price. _Why should I have to pay for what most people get for free?_ He thinks to himself as he scrolls through payment plan options. All the programs seem reasonable and even offer online prep classes, so he doesn’t have to miss work and it won’t be too much an adjustment for him and Ian’s routine. He keeps looking through websites and he feels almost as if he’s trying to find something wrong with the idea because so far everything makes senses and it feels like the right thing to do, but life’s never been that easy for him and he’s not trying to be fooled right now. After a few minutes of scrolling he hears the sound of Ian downstairs and quickly bookmarks the page, closing the laptop and returning it back to the shelf.

+

“Hey.” He says when he sees Ian and Liam both on the couch with the TV on. He playfully shoves Ian over and forces him to make room and then flops down next to him.

“Therapy go okay?”

“It was good. Pretty sure Dr. Jensen’s the best therapist I’ve ever had.”, he says smiling. Mickey smiles too and they exchange a quick peck. It took a long time for them to get here. For a while, Ian’s mental health was a touchy subject for both of them but times have changed and they have a new grown up perspective of each other’s boundaries and intentions which makes it all the more easier to have the hard conversations when needed.

When Liam’s alarm goes off at 3:45 he looks at both of them, waiting to see who’s going to get up and grab the keys. Ian’s the first to get off the couch. He grabs the keys off the counter and a water bottle from the fridge while Liam puts on his backpack.

“I’m gonna tag along too, Wanna talk to you about something.” Mickey says, pointing a finger to Ian.

“Am I in trouble Mr. Milkovich?” Ian asks playfully.

“Nah.” He thumbs at his lip nervously looking down toward his feet. Ian nods but doesn’t ask any more questions for the time being and the 3 of them head out the door.

+

“Text us when you’re walking out. We’re gonna just wait in the parking lot today.” Ian says as Liam walks towards the brick building.

Once Liam’s inside, Ian turns to face Mickey who’s sitting in the passenger seat.

“What’d you wanna talk about?” He asks. The radios playing softly, and he smiles when he recognizes the song being one of the ones that played the night of their wedding reception.

“I-” Mickey starts but then he stops. He doesn’t know why he’s so nervous to bring it up. If anything, he knows Ian’s going to be over the moon to hear he’s even _thinking_ about getting his GED but there’s still a part of him that’s _embarrassed_ by the fact.

“You ever get around to getting your high school diploma?” He asks instead.

“Yeah. Few years ago. Why?” 

“Really? You never bought it up.” He tries to keep his voice neutral but there’s an inflection at the end of his sentence that Ian catches onto.

Ian makes a face.

“You never asked. What about it?”

Mickey shifts uncomfortably in his seat and they’re both silent for a moment before Mickey finally speaks.

“I was thinking about getting my GED.” He says it quickly and almost in a whisper and he thinks Ian hasn’t heard him but of course he hears what Mickey’s saying, even the things he doesn’t dare say out loud. 

“Mick! Are you serious? That’s a great idea!” His enthusiasm is almost too much for Mickey to handle at the moment, but he continues on.

“Don’t get your fucking hopes up man. I said I was just thinking about it.”

“Thinking about it is still a huge deal Mick.” He grabs Mickey’s hand and gives it a firm squeeze “I’m proud of you,” He says with ease.

It’s that fucking word, _Proud._ Ian throws it around so much these days. He’s always telling Mickey he’s proud of him but Mickey’s not exactly sure what there is to be proud of. So, what he’s thinking about getting his GED? It’s the bare fucking minimum of educational accolades.

“For what?” he says under his breath.

“I’m proud of you for thinking of yourself for once. You’re always pushing the rest of us to be better, it’s your turn.” He says sincerely.

“I just. I don’t want you to be ashamed of me you know. You need a husband that at least has _something._ ”

Ian takes a breath.

“Mickey. I could never be ashamed of you. Why would you even think that?!” He sounds exasperated and Mickey rolls his eyes at the dramatics.

“Oh, c’mon Ian. I’m a fucking felon working at a teen clothing store. I’m getting off parole in 3 months and have absolutely no idea what I’m doing with my life. What on earth could you _not_ be ashamed of?”

He’s opens the glove compartment and pulls out a hidden pack of cigarettes, ignoring the look Ian’s likely throwing his way for smoking in the car.

But Ian’s not giving him a dirty look because he’s trying to keep from tearing up in the parking lot of _Gold’s Learning Center._

“God, Mickey. I don’t know what I’m going to do with you.” He lets out a laugh but there’s a huge lump in his throat, so it doesn’t sound pleasant at all.

“You know I went to prison too.” He says quietly. “And if I remember correctly, you went there because of me.” Ian still doesn’t love the sound of that but they both know it’s the truth. “Do you look at me differently because of it?

Mickey scoffs. “Of course, I don’t.” Ian gives him a pointed look.

“And I don’t look at you differently because of it either. That’s not all you are to me. I think if you want to get your GED, you should, and If you don’t want to, you don’t have to. Mick, you don’t have to prove yourself to me.”

Mickey’s still not looking at him, steadily puffing on the cigarette. He blows a bit of smoke and takes a breath before speaking.

“I want to. I want to be better and have fucking prospects but-” Ian cuts him off.

“You want to. That’s enough. We’ll worry about the rest as it comes.” Mickey finally turns to look Ian in the eye, and he’s met with his smile. He knew Ian was going to be happy about this but something about _seeing_ it still gives him a warm and fuzzy feeling in his chest. Ian’s got a soft look in his eyes when he leans over the center console. He puts a hand firmly behind Mickey’s head and pulls him into a kiss. It’s soft and slow and Mickey _feels_ the love Ian’s trying to convey. Ian pulls back, remembering they’re in a parking lot. He thumbs gently at Mickey’s lip, smiling when he notices that Mickey’s blushing.

“You gonna help me study?” Ian lets out a laugh but quickly adapts a mock serious tone.

“Of course, I’m going to help you study. You know Liam told me I should be a teacher once.”

“He told me the same thing, tough guy.” Mickey says, laughing. He feels lighter having told Ian and just a hint of excitement around the whole thing. He’s not sure he’ll pass the test. Maybe he’ll decide that nights filled with flashcards and highlighters aren’t really what he wants but he’s thinking about it and that’s enough for the moment. It’s enough for him to feel like he’s making the first step towards a future for himself. He’s not even sure what that future looks like, but he knows he’s got some control over it.

“Hey why don’t we go out for dinner tonight? This seems like something we should celebrate.” Ian asks, he can see Liam approaching the car and unlocks the back door with a _click_.

“C’mon man, it’s not the big of a deal.”

“Who says it’s all about you, huh? Maybe I just don’t feel like cooking dinner.” Ian says in a matter of fact tone. He’s smiling bright and Mickey knows it’s _definitely_ all about him, but he doesn’t say anything more.

Once Liam’s in the car and buckled up, Ian turns around to face him.

“How was class?”

“I got invited to a mathlete tournament in January!” He pulls out a blue form with a list of dates and accommodations and shoves it Ian’s hand.

“Wow! Congrats Liam! I think this calls for a celebratory dinner, don’t you think Mick?” He throws a wink Mickey’s way and laughs at the middle finger Mickey aims in his direction.

Putting the car in reverse, Ian pulls out of the parking lot and heads West.

+

They’re sat in a booth of a chain restaurant that’s packed. They had to wait 45 minutes for a booth and when they were finally seated the server took about 20 minutes just to ask them about what they wanted to drink. But now they’re all sharing a bowl of hot wings and Mickey’s nursing a beer and he think’s life is pretty good. Ian called Carl to ask what he wanted them to bring him back but he said he was staying over Lizzie’s for the night and that they shouldn’t wait up for him. Once he’s off the phone he turns his attention to Mickey and Liam who are both scrolling aimlessly on their phones.

“We should go out more. We’ve got so much to celebrate these days.” He raises his coke in a _cheers_ gesture and rolls his eyes when Mickey and Liam both exchange a look and choose to ignore him. He pinches Mickey’s leg under the table and gives Liam a kick to the shin.

“Seriously guys. Liam, you’re a fucking mathlete, Mickey you’re getting your GED, I haven’t had the urge to blow up a van in who knows how long. I think we’re doing pretty good all things considered.” Mickey snorts but he tips his beer toward Ian and finishes it off with a smile.

“You’re getting your GED?” Liam asks, suddenly interested in the conversation.

“Thinking about it.” Mickey answers. Liam looks oddly fond and nods his head. He’s about to say something when Ian interrupts.

“He says he’s thinking about it but that means he’s going to do it. He just doesn’t know that I know that.” Ian says matter-of-factly. Mickey tries and fails to hide his blush, because Ian’s right but he’s definitely not going to give him the satisfaction of admitting that out loud.

The food finally comes, and they enjoy plates of burgers and fries without much care to anything else in the world. Liam spends the night teasing Ian and Mickey for being so obviously in love but secretly hopes that maybe he and Vanessa from class can have that one day. Once they’re all finished and the check comes, Ian’s phone vibrates notifying him of a facetime from Lip. The three of them spend time cooing over Fred and asking Lip about milestones and Mickey feels like he can _breathe_. There are still parts of him that are scared of failing and letting everyone and himself down. But for a second, he pushes those feelings to the side and takes a moment to relish in the fact that he’s made it this far. When he thinks about the future, there’s no sense of dread that comes with it. He thinks after all that he’s been through he deserves this newfound feeling of hopefulness, no matter how foreign it feels. He’s going to hold on to it for as long as he can.

+

Ian wakes up alone a chilly autumn morning. The sunlight is steadily creeping in and he’s disappointed when he rolls over to find that he’s only got Mickey’s pillow to shield his eyes from the light and not Mickey himself. He groans and picks his cellphone off the night table to check the time. _8:28am_. He thinks about staying in bed a little longer but that doesn’t sound as fun as going to investigate what Mickey’s up to so early in the morning.

When he comes into the kitchen, he’s met with a pellicular site. It’s nothing new, because Mickey’s been doing it for a couple weeks now, but it still feels pellicular, nonetheless.

Mickey’s sat at the dining table, two open notebooks in front of him and a textbook to his left. He’s got his _Mr._ mug in one hand and a pen in the other as he scribbles onto an index card.

“You’re up early.” Ian says as he comes a little closer to Mickey’s seat. He presses a kiss to the crown of his head and steals a sip of his coffee.

“Early bird, I guess.”

“Yeah well, early bird didn’t come to bed until 3 last night. That can’t be good for you.” He tries to keep an unbothered tone but he’s getting a little worried. Between the late nights and the early mornings, Mickey’s _all-in_ mentality has been front and center lately. He passed the first 3 test with not much effort. Sure, it was a challenge getting back into “student mode” after what felt like 100 years, but with Ian there to help (and kiss him when he got frustrated) he’s found his rhythm. A rhythm that suddenly doesn’t include Ian.

Mickey wakes up, studies. Goes to work, pulls out flash cards while he takes his lunch break. He’s been coming to bed later and later each night and Ian would think he had something to worry about if not for the fact that Mickey falls asleep mumbling off repeated trivia facts.

He’s happy for Mickey and he does the best he can to quiet the selfish part of him that wants Mickey’s undivided attention.

“You wanna go out for lunch later? I’ve been craving sushi lately.” Ian says. He takes a seat next to Mickey and eyes an index card that has _James Madison_ written across it in blue ink. Between both of their jobs, therapy, parole meetings and Mick’s study regime they’ve haven’t had time alone together and awake in what feels like weeks.

Mickey doesn’t answer.

“Mickey”, Ian tries again, his agitation evident in his tone.

“Huh?” Mickey looks up for a second, gives Ian a questioning look and then gets back into his notebook.

“I said, do you want to go out for lunch today? Can you even remember the last time we actually ate together?”

Mickey raises his hand and flags Ian off dismissively.

“Can’t. Eli is coming over to help me study.”

“Eli? Who the fuck is Eli?” Ian was fine with Mickey not being on board with his sudden lunch plans, expected it almost, but Mickey not being on board and having plans with another guy has him seeing red.

“Eli. Nerdy kid with the fucked-up hair cut? I told you about him. Why are you acting like you don’t remember?”

“Mickey. I think I would remember you telling me something like that. Where did you meet this guy anyway? What the fuck does he know that I don’t? It’s not that fucking hard to read a flashcard. I’m right here!”

Mickey rolls his eyes.

“Can you chill the fuck out? We can eat lunch together or whatever the fuck you want after he leaves. Okay?”

A small part of Ian wishes Mickey had put up more of a fight just so they could have talked longer but he simply nods, goes to the fridge and grabs a package of yogurt and heads to the living room without another word.

+

Nothing on the TV particularly sparks Ian’s interest so finds himself lost in random 99-cent game for the app store. He’s just beaten level 5 when a text from Fiona comes in.

_Fiona: Hey Sweetface! I’m flying in next week and want to see everyone! Maybe go out for dinner? Me and David are going to his family’s cottage for thanksgiving, so I won’t be in Chicago. I figured we should all see each other before then. Lip, Debbie and Carl all are on board. You and Liam were my last ask before I made reservations. Oh, and Mickey. Please tell him he’s invited. Love you and see you soon!_

Seeing Fiona’s name in his notification bar is jarring and Ian’s not sure what part of the message he should respond to first. He’s not even completely sure if he wants to respond. The last time he saw Fiona in person was when she visited him in prison to tell him her plans of getting as far away from the South Side as she could. Since then, their relationship has been strictly check-up text and the occasional phone call when either of them was feeling particularly nostalgic. Ian can’t help but feel annoyed at being an afterthought when she was making the plans, but that’s nothing new. He’s past the point in his life where he feels the need to fight to be noticed. It took a long time and a lot of self-work but he’s finally at the point where he _knows_ he’s worth more than that.

He’s got someone in his life that puts him first. He knows how good that feels and he knows that it’s something he wants to hold on to. He’s holding on to Mickey for the rest of his life and doing the best he can to quiet the voice in his head that’s steadily trying to convince him that Mickey is slipping away. He’s seen what happens when Mickey sets his mind to something, their relationship is a testament to the fact. As much as he’s excited for Mickey, eager to see the universe come through on all the good it owes Mickey, a part of him is scared. Scared that with all the newfound knowledge and self-discovery he’ll end up left in the dust. He knows it’s a silly thought and he tries to shove as far away as he can, but the voice still lingers.

Maybe a dinner with the entire family is what they need. Mickey’s been drowning in responsibilities the last few weeks and as much as he tries to deny it, Ian knows he needs a break. A night out where the only thing he has to worry about is if he has got room for dessert or not.

Ignoring the majority of the text he simply sends a _“We’ll be there”_ and goes back to his game.

+

Ian falls asleep on the couch for a while and is woken up to laughter in the kitchen. He instantly recognizes Mickey’s mixed with someone else’s. The sound of his husband’s is something he knows he will never get tired of hearing. He sits for a few moments just listening until the laughter dies down a bit and suddenly Mickey is calling his name.

“Ian! Get in here!”

He’s still in his sweatpants from a last night and feels embarrassed to be walking into the kitchen while Mickey obviously has a guest but all that goes out the window when he walks into the room and Mickey’s beaming at him.

“C ’mere man! We were calling you! Eli play it again!”

Ian comes closer to where they both are seated stands behind Mickey’s chair, wrapping his arms around Mickey’s shoulder’s. He presses a kiss to the top of Mickey’s head and smiles when Mickey presses a kiss to the fingers rested near his collar bone.

Eli restarts the video, a Tik-Tok with 2 million views and Ian immediately knows what had them both laughing so enthusiastically.

“How they fuck did he get all the way up there?” Ian asks between giggles.

“Fucking giraffe legs. He looks just like you.” Mickey replies before bursting into another fit of laughter.

“You love my giraffe legs.”

“Of course I love your giraffe legs, fucking married you just because of ‘em.” He feels Ian’s grip tighten around his shoulders and he knows they’re back on track after this morning.

Eli clears his throat, feeling as if they’ve both forgotten he’s in the room.

“Well Mickey I think you’ve pretty much memorized everything. I’m going to head out now.” He doesn’t give Mickey or Ian any time to respond before he nervously gathers the books he brought and stuffs them haphazardly in his beige messenger bag before dashing out of the back door.

“C ‘mere, sit down.” Mickey says to Ian, gesturing to the seat Eli has abandoned.

Ian takes the seat graciously and finally has a moment to see Mickey up close. He looks absolutely exhausted and Ian knows he’ll be thankful when he finally passes the last test and gets to put this all behind him.

Mickey grabs his hand and runs his thumb gently over his knuckles.

“I’m sorry about this morning. If you can’t tell, I’m a little stressed out.” He feels weird saying it out loud. He’s been doing his best to keep Ian away from all of this. It’s one thing if this all falls through and he lets himself down; that’s almost what he expected going into it. It’s the idea of letting Ian down that has him working himself almost into overdrive. Ian’s so excited, he’s already cleared space on the fireplace mantle for Mickey’s certificate and he’s constantly going on about the party he’s going to throw when Mickey’s finally done. Mickey can’t let him down; he _won’t_ let him down.

“No don’t apologize. I’m sorry I freaked out. I just miss you that’s all. Feel like you’re slipping away.”

“Not going anywhere, I promise. Just don’t wanna screw this up.”

“You’re not going to! You’re working so fucking hard Mick. You’ve got one last test, you can breathe for a minute, you know?”

“How do you know I’m not? I’ve screwed up pretty much every other thing in my life. How do I know all my other scores weren’t just rigged? Huh? What if they got my name confused with a Ricky or something?” It doesn’t sound all that plausible when he says it out loud but the feeling of succeeding feels so foreign that it almost makes more sense to him than the fact that he’s actually earned it on his own account.

“Jesus, Mick. You know good things are allowed to happen to you, right? You deserve them the same as anyone else.” He leans over and presses a chaste kiss to Mickey’s lips. The tension in Mickey seems to melt away when their lips touch and he kisses back with just as much passion as Ian.

“I love you so much.” Mickey whispers when they pull away. Liam is at school and Carl has essentially moved in with Lizzie so Ian’s not sure why he’s whispering as if they’re not completely alone, but he takes it in and brings his hand up rest against Mickey’s cheek.

“I know you do; I love you too.”

+

It’s Wednesday night when Fiona calls, confirming their dinner for Saturday night. The call is quick, and she sounds sick, but Ian doesn’t question it and hangs up without any fanfare. He’s stirring a pot of mashed potatoes when Mickey comes into the kitchen.

“Who ya talkin’ to?” He asks as he comes up to Ian. He eyes what’s in the pot and sticks his index finger in, much to Ian’s dismay.

“Fiona. She’s flying in, we’re _all_ going to dinner on Saturday.” He gives Mickey a pointed look.

Mickey raises his hand in mock surrender and grabs a beer out of the fridge.

“I wasn’t going to say anything. If you’re there, I’m there.”

“I haven’t told Liam yet. I’m just not sure how he’s going to take it.”

Mickey shrugs. “It’s a free meal that neither one of us is cooking, I think he’ll be alright.”

Ian rolls his eyes.

“Not what I meant. She ups and leaves him and now she wants to show up out of the blue and take him to dinner? I don’t know how he’s going to take that” He turns the stove off and walks over to the cabinet, grabbing 3 plates from the bottom shelf.

“I don’t know man maybe it was good for him. Let him learn early that people aren’t guaranteed to stick around. Your own sister can’t even be a fucking guarantee.” His beer bottle hits the counter with a little bit more force than usual, but Ian doesn’t make a comment and calls Liam down to eat.

Liam doesn’t seem bothered by the idea of having dinner with Fiona. Ian was expecting a slightly more emotional reaction, but he just simply nods and says that he’s fine with it and hopes Debbie brings Franny. The conversation easily shifts into Liam talking about the school project he’s working on, with Mickey and Ian both asking questions and making sure he’s got all the supplies he to make a poster that shows off a map of the USA. 

Dinners over and Ian’s on dish duty. He sends Liam to bed and tells Mickey he’ll meet him upstairs in twenty. He’s just washing the silverware from the night when he thinks back to Mickey’s earlier words. “ _Your own sister can’t even be a fucking guarantee_.” Ian hasn’t talked to Mandy since before the wedding. One night he’d gotten a moment with Sandy alone and had asked her if she had Mandy’s number anywhere or knew someone that did and could get it for him. Sandy came back the next day, the 10 digits scribbled onto the back of Walgreens receipt.

Ian had text the number, a simple five words and the 3 letters of his name: _I’m marrying your brother tomorrow-Ian_

_Mandy: Can’t believe it. Welcome to the family._

He didn’t respond after that and she never texted again, and it was as if it didn’t even happen. He hadn’t told Mickey about that, too distracted by the uphill battle it had turned into just to make it to the alter.

+

That night, they’re in bed, freshly showered and under a throw blanket watching a sitcom re-run when Ian decides to bring her up.

“Do you miss Mandy?” It’s random and Mickey has to take a second to make sure he heard him right. He clears his throat before responding.

“Yeah, sometimes,” He says in a voice he hopes is nonchalant.

“I do too, sometimes. Wish things had worked out differently.”

They’re silent for a few and Mickey can’t help but feel a little awkward. He hasn’t thought about Mandy in a long time, but the moment Ian said her name it was as if a million memories came flooding back. A million questions he never got answered, a million things he wishes he could say.

“She should have come to our fucking wedding.” Mickey says disdainfully. “Even fucking Frank showed up.”

“I’m sure she wanted to but it’s gotta be weird coming back to the Southside after you’ve been gone for so long, ya know?”

“I guess. Kinda just felt like I was coming home, even if it was fucking prison first.”

Ian takes the opportunity to snuggle closer to Mickey, laying his head in the perfect position to hear his heartbeat.

“Yeah I get that. But home comes with so many bad memories ya know? Sometimes I just walk out onto the porch steps and I remember-” He stops, finding it unnecessary to bring up that part of their relationship. “I’m just saying, I get not wanting to come back here.”

Mickey makes a face.

“The bad stuff fucking sucks, but I don’t know man, the good stuff kinda makes it all worth it.” Mickey’s optimistic outlook causes a warm feeling to fill Ian’s chest. He knows Mickey’s in a good space, after so many years of turmoil. Hearing him say that the good days outweigh some of the bad is something he never could have imagined. Something he always hoped for.

“But I guess I can say that because most of my good stuff has to do with you.” That’s sappier than Mickey had been planning to get but it’s the truth and he’s long past the point of feeling the need to deny himself the simple pleasure of loving Ian out loud.

“My good stuff has to do with you too, Mick. You’re definitely the best part of my days.” He yawns and leans over to turn out the bedside lamp. They lay in silence for a while, the only sound being their breathing and soft melody the orchestra provides as credits roll down the screen.

Ian’s tired and while he’s not at the capacity to have much more conversation, his mind can’t seem to move on from Mandy. Her number is still saved to his phone. He thinks maybe could send her a text, make sure she’s still breathing. He thinks of Mickey and sister he should have. The relationship they should have and all the things she should have supported Mickey through. He wonders if she has some of the same regrets as him. If she stays up some nights thinking of things should have done better.

He thinks of his own family and how close they’ve always been. Even with everyone living their separate lives, they’re still Gallaghers. They still know that when shit hits the fan, they can lean on each other. And sure, Ian knows he’s got Mickey’s back, he knows he plans to be by his side until the end of time, but he also knows that’s not enough. Mickey’s got brothers, cousins, estranged aunts and uncles who should all be cheering him on. He shares DNA with people who should have been there for him through the good and the bad.

Mandy needed to get out of the southside, she owed it to herself but Ian’s not sure how that equated to Mickey getting left behind.

+

The rest of the week goes by swimmingly. Mickey’s still studying with a determination like no other and Ian’s still looking on proud but with a sense of worry. _One more week and this will all be over_ , he thinks. He knows it’s a selfish thought but he’s excited to see Mickey put this behind him. The long nights of studying on top of work have pretty much killed their sex life.

Its 6:27 when Ian hesitantly tells Mickey that they should be heading out soon. They’re both dressed in button ups and ties, shirts tucked in and belts on display. They’ve been dressed for about 20 minutes, sitting on their bed, both avoiding the elephant in the room.

“Are you sure we have to go? There’s enough of you fucking Gallaghers, maybe she won’t even notice if we’re missing.”

“No. we’re going.” Ian says, but he makes no move to get up. He doesn’t know why he’s nervous to see his own sister, but his anxious energy doesn’t get past Mickey who places a hand own his knee.

“Ian. I’m serious, if you don’t want to go, we don’t have to. You’re practically jumping out your skin.’ He gives Ian’s knee a squeeze and tries to gauge the worrisome look in his eye.

“It’s not that, I just don’t want any drama. We haven’t seen her in what feels like forever. She hasn’t seen _you_ since before. I just want to eat and leave.”

“Take a breath. We’re like 10x more powerful now that we’re married than we were before. If she starts some shit, I think we can handle it.” He stands up and offers Ian his hand, leans down to press a kiss to his forehead. “Let’s get this over with. Sooner we leave, sooner we can come back. Have some alone time.” His tongue darts out the smallest amount and licks his lips as he gives Ian a full body glance over.

Ian catches on quickly, suddenly feeling eager to get the night over with. He takes a breath, and they head downstairs, telling Liam they’re ready to go.

+

Fiona’s protruding belly is the first thing Ian notices when the three of them enter the restaurant. They’re a little late and he assumes everyone has already had their chance to gawk and congratulate her on the news, so he just hugs her a little tighter and hopes she catches on.

They take the three sits to the left of Lip and Mickey rest his hand on Ian’s thigh as a waiter brings over a cocktail menu.

+

Mickey’s just finished his steak when his phone rings. Ian feels the vibration against his thigh where their legs are touching, he gives Mickey a questioning look.

“Who’s calling you? I’m right here.” He says with a laugh.

Mickey takes his phone out of his pocket and checks the notification. He doesn’t recognize the number and shrugs.

“Spam, I guess. Robots won’t ever leave me the fuck alone.” He goes back to his plate, pushing a mushroom around with his fork.

It’s not long before his phone rings again. He watches as it rings, same number as before, this time they leave a voice mail.

“Listen to it. Might be important.” Ian says.

Mickey’s not one to give out his number. Anyone calling who isn’t already saved in his contact list is probably just looking for trouble, but he follows Ian’s order anyway, puts the phone to his ear.

When he hears the voice on the other end his face goes blank.

_Hey asshole, I’m trying to talk to you, pick up._

He locks his phone as quickly as his hands will allow him and takes a final gulp of his beer, his hands shaking. He feels like he can’t breathe. Ian notices his changed the demeanor and turns to face him.

“Are you alright? Who was it?”

“I gotta. I gotta go. Outside. Need some air. Be right back.” He says, his words sounding jumbled. Ian’s confused and frankly a little scared, but he nods at Mickey and scoots his chair in further to let him through.

+

It’s chilly outside. Autumn feels more like winter as he sits on a bench outside of _Calliope’s._ He stares at the unsaved number for a long time. _Was it her? Should he bother calling back? What did she want?_ It all feels overwhelming and he wishes Ian were there with him. He knows he could be. He could text Ian and tell him to meet him outside and he would be there in a heartbeat. But a small part of him is okay with the fact that he’s alone. Alone to process in whatever way he can and make a decision without Ian’s puppy eyes there egging him on. 

He pulls out a cigarette and flips off the old man who gives him a disgruntled look as he walks into the building. Puffing on the cigarette numbs some of his anxiety and he presses the redial button, holding his breath.

After 3 rings, Mandy picks up.

“Mickey??”

“Yeah it’s me.” She’s silent and he thinks maybe the call has dropped but then she speaks again.

“I’ve been wanting to talk to you. Guess the timing just never felt right.” He’s not sure what that means because if she really wanted to, she would have called. He figures the same is true from his side but with everything going on he thinks he can be forgiven for not contacting the sister he hasn’t seen in years.

“No, it’s okay I’m glad you called. You okay?” 

“I’m good, really good Mick. Living in Seattle with a couple of roommates, it’s nice.”

“Seattle? That’s fucking far.”

“Sometimes it doesn’t feel far enough.” Mickey wants press, wants to know what she means by that, but Mandy clears her throat and quickly begins speaking again

“Anyway, enough of me. How are you? Really? Don’t bullshit me.” He huffs out a laugh because he was definetly going to give her the generic _I’m alright_ line but he takes a moment and thinks.

He’s doing more than alright. Better than ever now that he thinks of it.

“Honestly? Pretty fucking great actually. Can’t complain for once.” He wonders if she can hear his smile. Wonders if she has any idea how he feels to be saying that out loud.

“That’s good Mick. Really fucking good. I uh, heard you got married.”

“Who told you-” and then it his hits him why Mandy is calling out of the blue, _Ian._

“Yeah. Figured it was time to settle down.” He laughs at the simplicity of the statement. _Tip of the iceberg_ he thinks to himself.

“I’m happy for you guys. Wish I could have been there.” That hits a nerve.

“Oh yeah why weren't you?” Mickey doesn’t intend for it to come off as hostile as it does but the phone call itself still has him on edge, feeling too many emotions at once.

“I didn’t even kn-” she pauses. Rethinks her words. “Mickey, I promise you I would have been there if I could. It’s the fucking Southside Mick. I couldn’t face all of that again. I just couldn’t” He hears her sniffle over the phone, and he blows out a breath. This is not how tonight was supposed to go.

“Don’t cry about it Mands, It’s fine.” They’re silent after that. He almost wants to hang up but he can’t bring himself to do it, not wanting to prematurely end whatever kind of moment they were having.

“I’m uh, getting my GED. Soon. One more test to take.” He decides to say instead, he hears her gasp.

“Mickey! Why didn’t you start with that? Jesus, Mick that’s great.”

“Yeah it is.” He blows out breath. He’s not one to brag but he realizes it _is_ great.

“You know Mick, I wish things were better. I wish _I_ were better to you”

“Mandy...”

“No no don’t feel bad it’s the truth. I could’ve been a better sister. Could have been a little less of a bitch. Just a little” She laughs “I’m sorry things were always so hard.”

Her words are heavy and feels himself getting emotional. He wishes Ian were there.

“You don’t have to apologize. I could’ve been better too. Shitty circumstances all around.”

She laughs at that. “We definitely deserved better. I’m glad you’re finally getting it.”

“I’m glad you’re getting it too. We should uh stay in touch. Maybe I could save your number or some shit.” He sniffles the smallest amount, hopes she can’t hear it across the line.

“I would like that. Facetime some time so I can see if you’re as ugly as I remember.”

“Fuck you, I’m gorgeous.” She laughs a genuine laugh at that, and that makes him smile.

“You wish. We’ll talk soon, okay? I Love you Mick.” That almost knocks the wind out of him. He’s gotten used to hearing that he’s loved, Ian tells him every day but hearing it from Mandy, after so many years feels different. His own fucking family.

“Love you too.”

He’s the one to hang up. He smiles when he locks his phone, and the picture of Ian pops up. It’s only then that he remembers that the rest of the family is still inside. Ian’s probably worried. _As worried as he can be having set up the whole thing_ Mickey thinks.

He opens their text thread and sends a message. _Mickey: Need U_

_+_

Ian’s outside and beside him in an instant. He takes the spot to the left of Mickey and pulls him close. Mickey’s head rests against his shoulder for a while and he thinks of what he wants to say first. There’s a lot he wants to say but he keeps it short and simply says “Thank you.” Ian meets his eyes, raises his eyebrow in confusion.

“For what? I didn’t do anything.”

“Ian. Mandy calling me. Just to talk? That was all you, I know it.” He laughs as Ian tries to play it off, tries to come up with another scenario. When he can’t, he concedes with a shrug.

“Well I didn’t tell her to call, I just may have heavily encouraged it.”

“Why though?” They’d only ever talked about her that one time. Mickey didn’t think anything would come from it. Clearly, he was mistaken.

Ian pulls him in as the breeze picks up, gives his shoulder a squeeze.

“I just wanted you to have someone else in your corner. You’re doing so good and it just feels like more people should be around to see. You’ve always got me and my army of siblings, but I know that’s not that same as your own blood Mick. Figured it would be nice to hear you’ve got a sister in your corner too.” He says it as if it’s not one of the most loving things he could have done.

Mickey can’t help but to turn around and kiss him. He brings their lips together and they both melt into it. After all these years, he’s not sure how Ian’s kisses still give him butterflies but he knows he’s feeling them now.

Ian knows Mickey and he knows what he needs even when Mickey isn’t quite sure himself. It’s a surreal feeling that still gets Mickey giddy.

He pulls away from the kiss and Ian’s looking at him, eyes wide and hopeful.

“Thank you.” He says again. “For everything.”

+

It’s 7:05am and They’ve just dropped Liam off at school. It snowed for the first-time last night and the roads are slippery, but Mickey still finds himself speeding.

“Mickey, we have to be there at 8. You don’t have to go so fast; you’re not auditioning for the fast and furious.”

“Can’t be late.”

“It's 15 minutes away.”

Mickey rolls his eyes and gives Ian a pointed look.

“Fine. I’ll be quiet. Just think It’ll _even harder_ to past the test if you’re all fucked up from a car wreck.”

“Shut the fuck up, Please!” Ian laughs.

“Just joking Mick. But seriously Mick, you’re making me queasy.”

They drive in silence for a few minutes more before Mickey pulls into the parking lot. There are only 4 other cars there, so he easily finds a spot close to the door. He takes the key out of the ignition and turns to Ian.

“Nervous.” Ian takes his hand and gives it a squeeze.

“I know. That’s okay, you’re still going to crush it.” He brings their laced fingers together and presses a kiss to them. “You did it.”

“Hey man save the mushy shit until I actually pass.”

“Oh, don’t worry I’ve got plenty mushy shit on standby. You should see the sign for the yard I had Liam make with all his left-over project supplies.” Mickey pulls back, eyebrows raised.

“The What??” Ian’s laughs and Mickey finds himself laughing too.

“I’m kidding but you should totally see your face right now.” Mickey shakes his head and checks the time on his phone it’s nowhere near 8 Ian can sense his anxiety,

“Hey why don’t you go in early, find a good seat and get some extra study time in.”

Mickey gives him a sympathetic look.

“You sure? It’s probably going to be a while”

“It’s fine, go ahead. I’ve got a small errand to run anyway just text me when you’re done.” They exchange a kiss outside before Mickey walks in the building, his head held high.

+++

The mail falls into the slot and onto the floor with a _thud_. No one’s in the living room but when Ian comes down the stairs to get breakfast started, he immediately goes to pick it up.

There’s a manila envelope with Mickey's name on it and Ian knows exactly what it is. He takes it with him to the kitchen and sets it right at Mickey’s place on the dining room table.

He starts breakfast as usual and soon Carl, Liam and Mickey are all flowing into the kitchen.

“Not having breakfast with Lizzie?” Ian asks a smirk.

“Nah figured I’d grace you all with my presence for once” He takes the plate of waffles that Ian’s offering and goes to sit down.

Liam comes up behind him takes a second plate from Ian. “Thanks” he says, already digging his fork in before he reaches the table.”

Mickey comes up last, presses a kiss to Ian’s lips and takes his plate. Ian doesn’t say anything, and he watches as Mickey goes to sit down. When he sees what is on the table, he nearly drops his plate.

“Is this my-??” He looks up at Ian who’s smiling so hard it almost hurts.

“Open it!” He says eagerly, he runs over to Mickey, stands right next to him as he scrambles to tear through the envelope.

He pulls out the certificate and just stares.

It’s thick and printed on a paper he knows isn’t cheap. It’s signed and dated with a gold seal and everything looks perfect almost too perfect.

When he doesn’t say anything for a while, even with everyone at the table gawking at him, Ian nudges him.

“Mickey say something. Are you alright?

Mickey blinks, he feels like he’s in a daze. Ian kept telling him that it was going to work out. Kept pushing him not to give up and to just stick it out. He even got Mandy to call and to further express the point. It took a while but after some time he actually started to believe them, started to think maybe he was doing something right and things we’re finally going to be in his favor.

Now here he is holding the proof. The proof that he can accomplish something. The proof that things don’t always have to be bad.

He takes a breath and smiles wide.

“I fucking did it.”

**Author's Note:**

> kudos , comments , questions , concerns and roast are alllll appreciated ;)  
> (but gentle on the roast for this fic, it’s my baby lol)  
> [send prompts/request!!!](https://curiouscat.qa/twinklylightss)  
> [Follow me on twitter for tweets about Mick!!!](https://twitter.com/passionatemick)


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